The Story Collider

Christine Gentry's rural, Vietnam vet father rarely talked about important issues, but a series of remarkable moments with animals and nature teach her four lessons she'll never forget. "Lesson number 2: Aint no use crying about things you can't do nothin' about." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After turning to a unique field of study -- erections -- Diane Kelly turns to an even more unique source for her research material -- roadkill. "When you open up an animal, there is all kinds of awesome in there." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A trip to India to work for an environmental program leads Caroline Howe to a new passion: trash. "I was the first to arrive, so obviously I was the one to set up our waste management system." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A late-night excursion to a party turns absurd and then terrifying as Greg Walloch, who has cerebral palsy, can't jump the fence around Tompkins Square Park. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With her epilepsy medication failing, Sara Peters checks into a hospital with one goal: make the scariest thing in her life happen again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a six-year old, Tim Manley has to go to the hospital with a mysterious illness. Fortunately, he has his superpowers and his trusty sidekick -- his mom. "We get to the hospital and I have my own room... like a King!" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We just heard the terrible news that Michelle Dobrawsky passed away last night after a long battle with cancer. Michelle was one of our first storytellers and a great friend of the show and we’re devastated by the loss. Michelle described herself as a Lawyer, Nerd, and Comic. She was well known in the comedy world not just as a great comedian, but as someone who worked hard to get other other comics exposure and stage time. She was starting to explore storytelling right around the same time Brian and I were talking about starting The Story Collider, and she was one of the first people we talked to for ideas and critiques about how to make it work. She performed at one of our very first events, where she told a beautiful story of love gone wrong in a biophysics lab. When we launched the podcast, we knew it was perfect, and so hers was the very first story on the Story Collider podcast. Again, we’re incredibly sad to hear of her passing. So, in her memory, here’s that story. Learn more about your ad choices. Vi

Margot Leitman faces down doctors, friends and uncertainty when she suddenly loses hearing in one ear. "If I’ve gone deaf, for real, that means the last thing I’ve heard to its full extent was James Cameron’s Avatar, and [that is so] disappointing for me." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the Indian Ocean, doctor George Lombardi makes use of the most important lesson his mother ever taught him: floating. "Let me give you one of the morals early on: No bonding experiences with somebody you're about to fire." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Madeline Huberth confronts the imminent death of a classroom goldfish while navigating the dangerous social waters of junior high. "Why could someone, if they could control a situation and make a happy ending, choose not to do so?" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After becoming ill during a trip to Ecuador, DARPA researcher Chris Roussi seeks medical advice from a local expert: a shaman. "Here I am, an engineer-scientist, and here's this educated man spouting the worst kind of fuzzy thinking, superstitious claptrap. I look him in the eye and I say: OK!" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices